We Republicans Have To Stop Acting Like This

Connecticut Republicans have come to the realization that somehow we missed a nationwide Republican landslide.

2010 was the best year in the history of the Republican Party.

Nationally the party took more state legislative seats in 2010 than ever before in the party's history. 

We dodged a landslide.

Here in Connecticut, and for a variety of reasons we didn't fare so well.

One of the reasons is our tendency to apply our own political purity tests which creates infighting, unnecessarily bloody primaries, and in the end victories for Democrats.

We'll agree on virtually everything, find some point of disagreement and withdraw our support at least, or attack our own at worst. 

Traveling around the state speaking to Republican leaders and Town Committees the one thing I hear the most often is `We've got to stop infighting - it costs us too many close elections....'

I've often compared this weird counter-productive habit of ours to "The Baptist Joke". Most people understand what I'm referring to, but the remark elicits puzzled looks from others.

So here's "the famous Baptist joke" which clearly has nothing to do with Baptists or anyone else - except maybe we Republicans!

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump. I ran over and said: "Stop. Don't do it."

"Why shouldn't I?" he asked.

"Well, there's so much to live for!"

"Like what?"

"Are you religious?

"He said, "Yes.

I said, "Me too. Are you Christian or Buddhist?"

"Christian."

"Me too. Are you Catholic or Protestant?"

"Protestant."

"Me too. Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?"

"Baptist."

"Wow. Me too. Are you Baptist Church of God or Baptist Church of the Lord?"

"Baptist Church of God."

"Me too. Are you original Baptist Church of God, or are you Reformed Baptist Church of God?"

"Reformed Baptist Church of God."

"Me too. Are you Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1879, or Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915?"

He said: "Reformed Baptist Church of God, Reformation of 1915."

I said: "Die, heretic scum," and pushed him off.